EFFECT OF INTEGRATING MOBILE-BASED ICT SOLUTIONS IN SERVICE DELIVERY BY WATER UTILITY COMPANIES IN KENYA
Josiah Ogola Opiyo - Master of Science in ICT Management, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
Dr. Mwalili Tobias - Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Continuous improvement and optimization of service delivery remains a key strategic goal of water utility companies when it comes to the competitive delivery of WASH services globally. The WASH sector is undergoing major structural reforms aimed at reshaping incompatible and outdated legacy systems and standardization of business processes to optimize and enhance the delivery of services. Mobile-based ICT solutions are being employed as significant and strategic enabler tools in this process as water utility companies aim to enhance transparency, effectiveness, and efficiency in service delivery. The purpose of the study was to establish the effect of integrating mobile-based ICT solutions in service delivery by water utility companies in Kenya. The specific objectives were: to determine the influence of the mobile meter reading system on service delivery; to examine the influence of the complaints management system on service delivery; to examine the influence of ‘soma mita’ application on service delivery; and to determine the influence of bill query application on service delivery. The study was guided by the Delone & McLean IS success model and the SERVQUAL model. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design and data was collected from a sample of 300 employees of four water utility companies: KIWASCO, KACWASCO, MUWASCO and MAWASCO that were selected for the GSMA Mobile for Development of Utility Partnership Grant in 2015 and had implemented the mobile-based ICT solutions. Data was collected using self- administered questionnaires through the drop and pick method. The findings revealed that: mobile meter reading system had a significant effect on service delivery (p=0.326); complaints management system had a significant effect on service delivery (p=0.343); ‘soma mita’ application had a significant effect on service delivery (p=0.263); bill query application had a significant effect on service delivery (p=0.216). Therefore, the study recommends that during the implementation of these mobile-based ICT systems the water utility companies need to develop partnerships with the various county governments to enhance support and ease of implementation through creating awareness and facilitating dissemination of information. These applications should also be promoted as a means for furthering staff development goals and increasing sufficient job satisfaction within the utility companies to promote buy-in and uptake. The water utility companies need to explore key technical and financial partnerships for technical and financial support.
